The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-13
THE GOLD HUNTER.

Half q dozen cabins divided by dusty
roadway, blacksmith shop, and store con-
stituted the settlement.
The place was unusually lively this evening,
for some miners had come up the valley with
wonderful tales Of q claim down there that
was panning ont gold by the handful They
stood in the center of an eager group that COM
pletely surrounded aud filed the doorway Of
the store.
Presently girl came up the path with q
bucket on her head and her sun-bonnet under
her arm. She was small and dark and very
pretty, but sad-looking.
81 wish you would all let me in" she said
The men separated, and as she entered the
store, one of the newcomers asked who she
was.
"She's DeeGson's daughter" said a member
of the settlement, running his thumb under
his suspcnder and giving it a hitch.
"Aint We never hearn of old Deenson ?-him
as lives over on Poverty Flat? He's mad,
they say. an l guess he must be- or he
wouldn't go on llvin' on worked-out claim.
I'll says the Colds there yet; but the other
man rs owned it hadn't patience"
As soon as the girl left the store, a man de-
taehed himself from the edge of the party, and
hurrying round the store, struck q trail that in
a few minutes would cross the one that Deem
sons daughter was following.
He was a tall, fne-looking follow, of any age
between twenty. and thirty. He wore the
typical miner 81 clothes, but walked With an
easy grace, that suggested much morfstnin-
climbing.
'sTell We what It's, Doll. . he began. hurIfed-
ly, on meeting her, 'lt's o dreadful lonely life
fur ye down ere on the Flat, with no un but
the old man fur company"
She didn't seem to think this required any
answer, and they walked for time in silence
After awhile he began again. but slowly, as
if wishing to impress her with the earnestness
of what he was saying:
give knowed we now, Doll this six months
back, an / dun know how ye feels-but, afore
God, I'd ruther hear you say: Jack, love
YOU than strike the best payin' claim in the
state"
She stopped with q little gasp, and her hands
tightly clasped before her: down went the old
sun-bonnet all unheeded.
Jack she cried, Jack, do you mean 1t p"
'I amt got no Bible, DOLL" nc said, solemn
ly, laying his hand upon her head, "but /
swear it by the next one Of Gods works / hold
most sacred, and that's ye."
''Then, Jack, She sobbed, "G do love We.
I've mosI aided fur fear you wouldn't care fur
me, Let's so home an tell dad, jack"
When they entered the cabin they found
the old man down on his knees before the fire,
trying TO coax it into blaze.
Dad" she said then, Jack saws that he
wants ter marry me-
She had scarcely spoken before he spYang to
his feet with oath and dashed his pipe into
the fire. "Neverl DO ye think I'm gop' to
let ye waste yerself Oh a common miner? Do
We think I've been workin' day in and day out
y
then let ye spend yer life in these diggin's?
Ye're goin' to be rich the money'll come
rollin' in when the claim begins to pay"
"Iiold on, pardner," cried Jack; ''the claim
will never pay. i dare say ain good enough
fur Doll, but can give Der plenty to cat an
TO wear, an that's moren she gets now"
But old Decnson made 10 answer, for he
had already returned to his golden dream
ing
The whole conversation seemed to pass from
him, and he went on patiently digging day
after day. He had been man Of one idea
so long now, that it was impossible for him TO
keep his mind on any outside matter.
"DOll," he said one day, IF this lead don't
bring somethin', III give up. But it's comm
this time SO there amt no use worIyin' IF
you go 10 the sittlemnt, bring home a charge
OF powder; m goin' ter blow up rock ter
morrow"
1t was late the next day before Jack came
to see her, and Doh was watching for him at
the door
"Dads gone over to sunleen rock, ," she said,
that's whar he's workin' now. Come
quick"
She hurried out, and lie after her II was a
long way TO Sunken rock and She wasted none
OF her strength in words.
At last q sharp bend in the path brought
them suddenly upon him He was sitting on
a tree-stump, his head in his hands, numbling
TO himself, and indifferently watching the
flame OF a match creep slowly along the wick
leading 10 the powder he had placed in the
Creylce Of the rock before him.
Instantly they saw his danger, Doll sprang
forward, but Jack pushed her back. Never,
il seemed to him, had he moved so slowly.
The old man was in his armshe stumbled
under his weight--one step or twenty, he
could not tell. Then came horrible sound as
If the earth was opening under him, and--ob-
liYion.
oval" said Sail Stroll, telling about IL at
the scttlcnent, "if that warnt the most re-
fnarkable thing! wouldn't have believed IL
il hadn't a-scen it. Thar war the old man
all right; char war Jack Seton just stunned a
bit thar war Doll on'y upset as war material
and thar war the rocks lyin' about them as
chuck-full Of gold rs an egg Of meat. Jacks
gOin' 30 marry Doll Old man Dcenson
wouldn't hear Of IL at first Int he's given in
some since Jack saved his life. lie never had
good sense, nohow, old Deenson--showed that
when he sot hissclf down on that rock to get
blowed 70 kingdom come He war right about
one thing tlOugh-that's this gold. Doll
Deenson'il own the richest claim Ia tho hull
state"
Nc,o Hayca Mems: Yale student-And now, dear
Mabel may call you miner
Mabel-les Reginald, you've kicked goal
T6t-BHs; DO you know why they have nick
named old man Mould, the gfayc-diggcr, 'Charity2n